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Navigation Acts
British laws controlling colonial trade to ensure profits went to England. Colonists could only trade with Britain, which limited their economic freedom. -
End of Salutary Neglect
Britain had previously ignored some colonial rule-breaking, but after the French and Indian War, they strictly enforced taxes and trade laws to pay off war debts. -
Proclamation of 1763
Britain forbade colonists from moving west of the Appalachian Mountains to avoid conflicts with Native Americans. Colonists, eager to expand, were angry. -
Sugar Act
Britain taxed sugar, molasses, and other goods to raise money. This hurt colonial businesses and increased resentment toward British control. -
Stamp Act
A tax on printed materials like newspapers, playing cards, and legal documents. Colonists protested, arguing they shouldn’t be taxed without representation in Parliament. -
Sons of Liberty
A secret group of colonists who protested British taxes, sometimes using violence and boycotts to resist British rule. -
Townshend act
Taxes on imports like glass, paint, paper, and tea. Colonists boycotted British goods in response, leading to tension and unrest. -
Boston Massacre
British soldiers fired into a crowd of protesting colonists, killing five. This event was used as propaganda to increase anti-British sentiment. -
Committees of Correspondence
Groups in different colonies that shared information and coordinated efforts against British policies, helping unite the colonies. -
Boston Tea Party
Colonists, dressed as Native Americans, dumped British tea into Boston Harbor to protest the Tea Act, which gave Britain a monopoly on tea sales. -
Intolerable Acts
Harsh laws punishing Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party, including closing Boston Harbor and limiting town meetings. -
First Colonial Congress
Colonial leaders met to organize resistance against Britain, agreeing to boycott British goods and prepare for possible war. -
Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” Speech
A powerful speech urging Virginians to take up arms against Britain, inspiring many to join the fight. -
Lexington and Concord
The first battles of the American Revolution. British troops tried to seize colonial weapons, but militia forces fought back. -
Second Continental Congress
Met to manage the war effort, create an army, and eventually declare independence from Britain. -
Olive Branch Petition
A final attempt to make peace with Britain, which King George III rejected, pushing the colonies closer to war. -
Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense”
A pamphlet arguing that the colonies should break away from Britain, convincing many Americans to support independence. -
Declaration of Independence
the official document stating that the American colonies were breaking away from Britain to become an independent nation.